56 (No. 98 PRESENT CONDITIONS their ceremonies. The native religion is said to grow more vague, superstitious, and debased the farther south one proceeds.

(a) The Northern Sudan ; Mohammedanism Ever since the Mahdia the danger of fanatical out breaks has been persistent . A list of abortive risings has already been given (p . 42). Constant watchful ness and instant action on the part of the Government are still needed , though the danger recedes with the spread of education in the northern Sudan and the increase of prosperity. Mahdiism is not yet totally extinct as a faith, and the ignorance of superstitious credulity is easily excited , especially among the Baggara. It is buta step from latent belief in Mahdi ismto active revolt against government.

The constant tendency of Mohammedanism to create minor sects ( Tarikas) , as apart from the four main Sunni divisions of Islam , is also visible in the northern Sudan. Such sects are not necessarily disloyal. Thus the Morghani in the eastern Sudan were loyal in the Mahdia . The Khatmia sect exercises to -day a wide spread influence from Kassala, and was similarly loyal. At present two brothers , Ahmed and Ali , are heads of the family , but they are not on good terms with another. The former was educated by the Dervishes , the latter under Government influence. The Ahmedia sect has to -day a following among the fanatical Danagla — to whom the original Mahdi belonged. Its leader is Mohammed Abdul Mutal, who is connected by marriage with the Senussi and by blood relationship with the Idrisi of Asir ( Arabia ) . Šenussi influence in the Sudan reached low -water mark with the failure and death of Ali Dinar in Darfur , where alone it had made some way . A small sect found at Sinkat (Red Sea province ) in 1915 has tenets akin to those of the notorious Wahabi Tarika , which in the Hejaz has not been very well disposed to the Sherif of Mecca . But its founder, Mohammed Madi , was removed to Egypt , and , in view of the passive fatalisis 2 one